David,
Format it as $$,$$9.99. This will force the display of the 3 'positions' shown with '9' as numeric characters - 0 if there is no value in that position. The '$' symbol say to put the dollar sign directly to the left of the right-most non-zero number.

HTH
Barbara

>OK. I give. What I want to display is a right justified, two decimal digit currency value with the $ sign always just to the left of the leftmost digit.
>
>Using the "currency" format option for a numeric field gives me my floating $ but also yields 4 decimal places. Or, I can use a format template to get two places but then the $ doesn't float to the right place.
>
>I see a message from January that indicates I must use a format template, but the message doesn't specify what the mask should be.
>
>Should I use the currency option with a format template. If so, what does the template look like (assume I want to express up to 99,999.99 with commas).
>
>Nothing I've tried works quite right. Help.